Synthetic simulated fabric materials have become increasingly popular in recent years for employment in applications requiring features such as increased wear and abrasion resistance, durability, moisture resistance, and relatively low cost.
Simulated fabric materials prepared by embossing plastic substrate materials with a fine pattern have been produced. Such materials can be produced to visually resemble a wide variety of fabrics and designs.
Suitable combinations of temperature and pressure conditions, applied to a layer of flocked material which is adhered to a plastic substrate, including foamed substrates, have been proposed to render different appearance characteristics. For instance, it is possible to vary temperature and pressure conditions to provide a simulated fabric having improved color contrast between the substrate and the flocked material.
Mechanical processing steps, such as beating a wetted layer of flocked material on a substrate have been suggested to produce a simulated fabric. It is also possible to apply a layer of flocking material to a substrate, such as a foamed substrate, having a pattern already formed thereon, i.e., a pattern formed beneath the flock layer. Likewise, it is possible to apply flocked material to a substrate to form a predetermined pattern by aligning the fibers in a predetermined orientation while adhering them to a substrate.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a relatively inexpensive material that exhibits improved visual and tactile resemblance to a fabric, and that can be easily formed to produce contoured three-dimensional articles having a simulated fabric surface.